This spectacular collection of more than 125 letters offers a never-before-seen glimpse of the events and people of history — the brightest and best, the most notorious, and the endearingly everyday. Entries include a transcript of the letter; a short contextual introduction; and, in 100 cases, a captivating facsimile of the letter itself.

A UK version has been available since last year and the US version will be out on May 6.